Ultimate Spider-Man #16: The Ghosts of Gwen Stacy

One of the most compelling aspects to the new Ultimate Universe, which is quickly approaching its deadline to a massive battle with its capital m-Maker, is that the world is empirically wrong. This is a world manipulated by a twisted genius seeking out a place that he can thrive, away from the curse of superheroes. He made it a point to strip the heroes of their influence and abilities, leaving many dead, missing, or complacent. That notion is the thrumming bassline for this reality, yet has only been touched in a few issues across the five ongoing titles. It’s a wound that’s present in the hierarchy of the world, but one that’s had an entire lifetime to heal and scar into what resembles the Marvel universe. 

Ultimate Spider-Man #16 – written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Marco Checchetto, colors by Matthew Wilson, and lettering by VC’s Cory Petit – pivots from the Parker family vacation to the secret history of the Ultimate Universe as told by Gwen Stacy. The issue looks at the long arc of this world and its impact on the scientist, from childhood moments not long after losing her mother through the kidnapping of Harry Osborne. Woven throughout her life is the presence of the Ultimate Mysterio, who shares a connection with the distortions in reality just like his counterpart from the original Ultimate line. By the end of the issue, time catches up with the present, dropping a bombshell reveal and repositioning the pieces of the game board with the Maker once again. 

This issue by its nature is difficult to discuss without revealing too much info about the plot, which thrives in a few key reveals. Without being too cagey, it’s fair to say that this issue upends a few central assumptions about this universe and who inhabits it. It also speaks to the imperfections in the Maker’s grand design, as it becomes clear that this is not his perfect petri dish universe. As it’s been seen across the Ultimate titles, nature abhors a vacuum (to borrow a phrase from Hickman’s other excellent recent Marvel book) and superheroes still result from the arc of history. 

To give away the specifics of this issue feels in bad faith to the work between the covers, but that is not a cop-out or insult to the book. Hickman weaves a compelling concurrent history to the Peter Parker timeline, telling a compelling love story set against the backdrop of a twisted world. There is an interesting tension in Gwen’s desire to uncover the Maker’s secrets while falling in love with Harry and building a new life. That dichotomy is central to the issue, and intersects in ways that add depth to the power couple’s dynamics seen in the previous issue. 

Hickman also creates an interesting parallel between Peter and Gwen, offering a mirror to the ways that keeping secrets affects the family unit. While Peter is pretty quick to reveal his identity to MJ after May learns his secret, Gwen holds onto her double life for an extended period of time. Seeds of guilt and doubt linger in Gwen but she retains a stark conviction for her mission, leading her to maintain her double life. In the wake of the Maker’s alterations to history, Gwen becomes driven and proactive while Peter finds himself in a passive role. The reveal and framework allow Hickman to alter his perception as a writer interested only in complicated, calculating male geniuses. Gwen becomes more of the typical Hickman protagonist by the end of the issue, making the case that the character archetype can be compelling when given the right level of care. 

A necessary component for creating the feeling of lost history is Checchetto’s artwork and Wilson’s coloring. The paneling and compositions for the issue feels of the whole with the existing series, not breaking the standard format for the delivery of the reveals. Choosing to remain in the established visual style keeps a narrative foot in the ongoing story, cementing the fact that Gwen has been hovering at the edges of the unfolding conflict with the Maker. She’s the one that has nudged certain events like the Paper investigating the altered timeline and building tension with Dr. Octavius. Checchetto drops her into these moments, creating cohesion with the rest of the line, even as he slots in moments from issues he did not illustrate. 

One of the key moments that Checchetto depicts is the Parker/Stacy dinner date from issue #4, offering Gwen’s perspective during the meal. The figure with an influence on Gwen whispers in her ear during the sequence, creating an eerie effect that allows Checchetto to play with the presentation of information. He structures a three panel row with Gwen and Harry on the outer panels, in profile, with Peter in the middle asking a reverberating question. Gwen and Harry have their own answers to the question, one a truth and the other a lie, both living under the weight of the spectral form haunting the page. 

Only Peter is free of that burden in this short sequence, fitting comfortably in the panel. It’s a small little detail that speaks volumes in the blocking of the issue, as Checchetto makes a series of mysterious conversations and clandestine meetings as visually compelling as any action sequence. Later on the same page, Checchetto will blow the sequence out of the water with a single panel that takes up roughly the same page real estate, but focusing on Gwen and MJ talking in the restroom. The panel is split in half by the long mirror above the sink, only presenting the phantasmal form in the mirror over Gwen’s shoulder. Checchetto renders the moment in such beautiful detail that it forces the reader to pause and absorb the detail. It’s a moment that visualizes the active path Gwen is interested in taking while allowing Checchetto to flex his mastery of blocking and scene work. 

The inclusion of the spectral forms whispering in Gwen’s ear and adding context for the reader could feel like a hacky storytelling decision if not for Wilson’s coloring. The lighter shades of pink set against the typical backdrops and tones, like the cool blues of New York, the warm yellow lighting of the restaurant, or the burning reds of the Savage Land, create an instant contrast on the page. Wilson draws the eye to the spectral form just enough to put emphasis on their form without distracting from the page. It’s the coloring equivalent of a form at the corner of the eye in a familiar room, hovering just within sight. Wilson’s dedication to utilizing the established palette from previous issues maintains that same visual consistency, working in unison with Checchetto’s linework to sell the idea of this issue filling out the edges of Ultimate Spider-Man.